Atlanta Fed Report Examines Critical Question: Where Are the Jobs?The Atlanta Fed recently published its 2013 annual report and features a sleek design, crisp video, and engaging interactive graphics. The report is an accessible yet substantial exploration of one of the most pressing economic issues of the day: Where Are the Jobs?

Agencies Issue Final Stress Test Guidance for Medium-Sized Firms The Federal Reserve Board and two other federal bank regulatory agencies have issued final rules on how companies with total consolidated assets between $10 billion and $50 billion should conduct stress tests. The clarifications are a response to comments received.

Technology, Regulation Likely to Spur More Financial InnovationAfter taking a backseat to financial stability concerns since the financial crisis, financial innovation could be poised for renewed prominence. To better understand how future innovation might unfold, an Atlanta Fed economist recently examined two major sources of past innovation in banking services: regulation and technology.

Fed to Release More Information about Banking ApplicationsLater this year, the Federal Reserve Board will begin publishing a semiannual report with information about banking applications it receives. It will include statistics such as the number of approvals and denials of applications it issues.

Fed Survey Reports Easier Lending Policies in Late 2013 Banks eased their lending policies and saw stronger demands for most types of business and consumer loans in the fourth quarter of 2013, according to the Fed's recent Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey. A modest net share of banks reported easing their standards on commercial and industrial loans to large and middle-market firms.

Lockhart: 2014 Likely a Transitional Year for Fed, EconomyThis should be a year of transition for the U.S. economy and for Federal Reserve policy, Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart said during a recent speech. If the economy stays on track, he added, 2014 could also bring an end to the Federal Open Market Committee's large-scale asset purchases.

Janet Yellen Becomes Federal Reserve ChairFederal Reserve Vice Chair Janet L. Yellen assumed the role of chair on February 1, succeeding Ben Bernanke, whose term began in February 2006. Yellen, the first woman to chair the Board of Governors, was appointed to a four-year term as Fed chair by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on January 6.

Fed Gov. Stein: Shadow Banks More Vulnerable to Runs, Fire SalesTraditional banks and their shadow banking counterparts both create private money, but they go about it in different ways, Federal Reserve Governor Jeremy Stein said in a recent speech. He noted the areas where the traditional banking model offers advantages, including investing in assets that are illiquid and subject to price volatility.

Fed Proposes Limits to Emergency Lending AuthorityThe Federal Reserve Board recently proposed changes to its emergency lending authority. The changes are required by the Dodd-Frank Act, and the proposed rule would place additional limits on the Fed's emergency lending authority.

Fed Chair Bernanke Reflects on His Eventful Fed TenureOn the eve of stepping down as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Ben Bernanke gave a speech looking back at the central bank's recent history. Bernanke focused on three topics: the Fed's commitment to transparency and accountability, financial stability and financial reform, and monetary policy.

Senate Confirms Yellen as Next Fed ChairThe U.S. Senate on January 6 confirmed Janet Yellen as chair of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Currently the vice chair, Yellen is scheduled to assume the duties of chair on February 1. She will succeed Ben Bernanke, chairman since February 2006. Yellen will be the first woman to chair the Board of Governors.